The rocking band launched in a milk bar in the Black Country town of Darlaston in 1986 and today still features original members King Pleasure (vocals and baritone saxophone) and Bullmoose ‘K’ Shirley (guitar).
Jim Simpson of Big Bear Music, who has managed the band from the beginning, explained how his team were now busily planning an “exciting year of celebrations”.
Mr Simpson said: “What an amazing accomplishment that King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys will have spent 40 consecutive years on the road!
“What started at a milk bar in Darlaston quickly grew to be lauded by some as the world’s greatest jump, jive and swing band. They’re an institution, with more than 7,000 performances in 21 countries under their belt.
“They’ve opened shows for the likes of B.B. King, Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, Ray Charles, and toured with the real Blues Brothers Band – the one from the movie. They’ve appeared at festivals, in concerts and at clubs throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the USA.
“They’ve recorded 14 albums, 11 with Big Bear Records, plus they’ve performed for 75 radio broadcasts and more than 70 TV appearances, including, somewhat bizarrely, five episodes of Teletubbies.
“They really are the Kings of Swing, and 40 years deserves what will be an exciting year of celebrations throughout 2026.”
King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys have won many plaudits, but perhaps the most quoted is Paul Jones, original lead singer and harmonicist of rock band Manfred Mann, who described them on his BBC Radio 2 The Blues Show as “the hardest act to follow since the parting of The Red Sea”.
The band will be performing a series of special gigs in 2026, some featuring reunions with original band members. They will also headline the Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival next summer, for what will be the 15th time.
They are scheduled to be performing in Germany, Denmark and Italy, and UK gigs are already booked for Lichfield, Didcot, Bury, Hornsea, Sheffield, Eastleigh, Tenbury, London, Newbury and Halifax.
Big Bear Music is also now consulting with top Midland venues to secure the best place to arrange the band’s main UK celebratory gig.
And to mark the 40th anniversary, Big Bear Records is also planning to re-issue Blues and Rythym Volume 1, an album where King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys perform a dozen songs with star guests.
These include Americans Charles Brown, Gene ‘The Mighty Flea’ Conners and Howard McCrary, as well as Val Wiseman, considered by many to be the UK’s finest ever female jazz singer.
As well as King Pleasure and Bullmoose ‘K’ Shirley, the band’s line up today includes Boysey Battrum (alto and tenor saxophones), Mighty Matt Foundling (piano and organ), Shark Van Schtoop (double bass), and Gary ‘The Enforcer’ Barber (drums).
Previous band members include Dean Bam Bam Beresford (1987-2001), Dixie Prince (1986-87), Slap Happy Al Gare (1987-2000), Lisa Sugar Lee (1987-90), Piano Man Skan (1987-91), P Popps Martin (1986-2001), Ivory Dan McCormack (1992-2001), Big Al Nicholls (1993-94), Mart Winning (1995-97), Mike Burney (1997), Cootie Alexander (1987-96), Jumpin Jonny Boston (1994-95), Julian Webster Greaves (1997-99), Ray Butcher (1996), Mally Baxter (1996-2001), Dave Wilkes (2001-08) and Steve Tromans (2001-06).
